۞ And set forth to them a parable of two men; for one of them We made two gardens of grape vines, and We surrounded them both with palms, and in the midst of them We made cornfields. 32 Each of the gardens gave its fruit and withheld naught thereof. And We caused a river to gush forth therein. 33 And so [the man] had fruit in abundance. And [one day] he said to his friend, bandying words with him, "More wealth have I than thou, and mightier am I as regards [the number and power of my] followers!" 34 And he walked into his garden, and, (forgetting) his limit, said: "I cannot imagine that this will ever be ruined, 35 And neither do I think that the Last Hour will ever come. But even if [it should come, and] I am brought before my Sustainer, I will surely find something even better than this as [my last] resort!" 36 His companion said to him, during the talk with him: "Do you disbelieve in Him Who created you out of dust (i.e. your father Adam), then out of Nutfah (mixed semen drops of male and female discharge), then fashioned you into a man? 37 But as far as I am concerned, God alone is my Lord and I set up no partners with Him. 38 When you entered your garden, why did you not say, "That which God wills [will surely come to pass], there is no power save with God?" Although you see I have less wealth and offspring than you, 39 It may be that my Lord will give me [something] better than your garden and will send upon it a calamity from the sky, and it will become a smooth, dusty ground, 40 or cause the streams in your garden to disappear under the ground such that you will never be able to find them. 41 And [thus it happened:] his fruitful gardens were encompassed [by ruin,] and there he was, wringing his hands over all that he had spent on that which now lay waste, with its trellises caved in; and he could but say: "Oh, would that I had not attributed divine powers to any but my Sustainer!" 42 He had no one besides God to help him, nor could he himself achieve any success. 43 (Then he knew) that all power of protection rests with Allah, the True One. He is the best to reward, the best to determine the end of things. 44